This invention relates generally to rolling mills and more particularly to an apparatus for inverting upstanding cylindrical product coils.
It is well known that both the front and tail ends of a coiled product length should preferably be trimmed and sampled in order to insure that the product is dimensionally and metallurgically satisfactory. In the past, this requirement has been satisfied by devices which transfer coils from one hook to another of a conventional hook carrier system, exposing first one end of the coil and then the other end to trimming operators. In other installations, the coils have been tranferred from forming mandrels to compacting mandrels which also expose both ends of the coil for trimming. These operations are, however, performed with the coil in a horizontal attitude and considerable physical manipulation and contact with coil surfaces are required.
An improved coil handling system has now been developed where the coils are maintained in an upstanding, i.e., vertical or near vertical condition while they are being transferred from one location to another. With upstanding coils, the tail end of the coiled product length is located at the top of the coil where it is readily accessible for trimming and sampling. However, the front end of the product length is at the bottom of the coil, thus making it necessary to invert the coil before front end sampling and trimming can be accomplished.
Accordingly, a general object of the present invention is the provision of a novel and improved apparatus for inverting upstanding cylindrical product coils.
Another object of the present invention is the provision of a coil inverter which operates without attendant distortion of a coil or damage to the surface of the coiled product.